


Belle & Books

by PotionsMistressM



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 20 Random Facts, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-07
Updated: 2015-06-07
Packaged: 2018-04-03 06:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4091029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotionsMistressM/pseuds/PotionsMistressM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>20 random facts pertaining to Belle and her love of books.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Belle & Books

1\. Colette began reading storybooks and fairy stories aloud as soon as she suspected she was pregnant, though she made sure not to do so when Maurice was within earshot. Just in case.  
2\. By the time of her confinement, Maurice had joined in the habit, recreating all manner of folk tales to his wife's swollen stomach. Though Colette feigned outrage, she loved it when Maurice told their baby the spooky tales that had scared her as a child.  
3\. Although she knew Maurice had hoped for a boy, the look on his face when he first held his little girl made Colette's heart melt.   
4\. When he named the baby _Belle_ , Colette knew without question that within a few short moments the baby had wrapped her father around her pudgy little finger.  
5\. As she grew, Belle developed certain preferences. When she wanted to have an adventure and be part of a story, she went to her father who would join her on quests and pirate raids; when she wanted to hear pretty stories and dream about the prince she would one day marry, Belle went to her mother.  
6\. Although she didn't learn to read at an earlier age than most children, once she started, Belle learned more quickly than any child her tutor had ever seen.  
7\. The day Belle brought her mother a story book and proceeded to read to her for the first time, Colette broke down in tears and hugged a very confused Belle within an inch of her life.  
8\. Later that night when she told Maurice about Belle's newly-acquired skill, she barely finished without sobbing again.  
9\. Although he took his wife in his arms and comforted her, Maurice was almost as confused as Belle had been.  
10\. There were a few bookshelves in her Papa's study that Belle knew were full of books she really _shouldn't_ read.  
11\. Which meant that those were the books she was most wanted to read. Obviously.  
12\. But after she had successfully sneaked one of the heavy leather tomes into her room, Belle was disappointed to find that it was nothing more than a ledger with accounts and balances. Since all of the books on the previously-mysterious shelves looked the same, Belle gave them all up as a bad job.  
13\. That was the first time books ever let Belle down.  
14\. Her mother's shelves, however, were home to much more interesting books, including one with full color illustrations of all parts of the human body. Belle was seven when she first spied the picture of a man's... _you know_... and she blushed bright red but could not stop looking at it.  
15\. Until her mother walked into the room and Belle flipped the page as quickly as she could. She had a feeling her mother didn't believe it when Belle said she'd been engrossed in an illustration of human lungs.  
16\. Being such an avid and accomplished reader had its downside, though. By the time Belle was thirteen she had read every single book in the castle (except for the boring ledgers).  
17\. From that point on, the only gift Belle ever requested was more books, and Maurice was only too happy to comply, bringing her at least one new book from every far-off land he visited.  
18\. Thinking he would make an admirable son-in-law, Maurice suggested that Gaston bring Belle books when he began to pay her court.  
19\. Gaston, however, couldn't believe that any noble lady would want to waste time on such pursuits and instead brought Belle roses and fine chocolate. Though she enjoyed both, Belle felt let down by the lack of creativity Gaston had shown. He was handsome, but Belle couldn't imagine spending her life with a man with absolutely no imagination.  
20\. Though she would chide herself for her naivete after the fact, Belle's heart leapt at the chance to accompany Rumplestiltskin. After reading about so many other adventures, it was finally time to be the heroine of her own story.


End file.
